Dr. Bharat Pandya spent 38 years saving lives in a Mumbai operating room and helped save a nation from polio along the way. Now, he's set to lead Rotary's 1.4 million members worldwide as the organization's 2028-29 President. It's a milestone moment for District 9216 and for Rotarians everywhere who believe service above self can change the world.
Rotarians around the world have reason to celebrate. Dr. Bharat Pandya, a surgeon from Mumbai and a longtime pillar of Rotary leadership, has been chosen by the nominating committee to serve as Rotary International President for 2028-29. Pending no challenging candidates, he'll officially become president-nominee on 15 September 2026.
For District 9216, this is more than a headline; it's a moment to feel proud of the depth of ability and devotion that Rotary draws from across the globe, and an indication of what service above self can build over a lifetime.
From the Operating Room to the Boardroom
Pandya's path to Rotary's top leadership role is grounded in decades of hands-on service. A member of the Rotary Club of Borivli, Mumbai, he trained at Seth G. S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital before spending 38 years practicing as a general and laparoscopic surgeon. Along the way, he earned fellowships from the Association of Surgeons of India and the International College of Surgeons, the Borivli Medical Brotherhood's Outstanding Performance Award, and the Mumbai Gaurav (Pride of Mumbai) Award. He also helped found the Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India and served as a board member and vice chair of Jan Shikshan Sansthan, a government-backed vocational training institute.
A Rotary Career Built on Service
Pandya's Rotary résumé reads similar to a roadmap of the organization's core work:
- RI Director and Treasurer, with service on the Finance Committee and Strategic Planning Committee
- Rotary Foundation leadership as trustee, vice chair, Executive Committee chair, and vice chair of the Finance and Stewardship Committee
- Current chair of the RI Programs Committee and vice chair of The Rotary Foundation Programs Committee
- A member of the India PolioPlus Committee from 2011-15; the very years India achieved its historic polio-free certification
That last point deserves its own moment of pride. Pandya was in the room, doing the work, when one of Rotary's signature global health achievements became reality.
A Family Rooted in Rotary
Pandya and his wife, Madhavi — herself a past district chair of Inner Wheel District 314 — are Rotary Major Donors and Benefactors. They have two daughters and one granddaughter, an indication that Rotary service often runs through entire families.
Why This Matters for Us
Every Rotary International President carries forward priorities guided by their own experience, and Pandya's is steeped in Foundation stewardship, global health, and grassroots vocational training. As his presidency approaches, it's worth watching how that background shapes Rotary's direction in 2028-29, and worth celebrating that a fellow Rotarian who has spent decades in the trenches of service- as a surgeon, a Foundation leader, and a polio eradication champion- is about to lead our global organization.
Congratulations, Bharat Pandya, from all of us at District 9216.
The 2026-27 Nominating Committee for Rotary International President 2028-29 was chaired by Lena J. Mjerskaug (Rotary Club of Enebakk, Norway), with Brenda Cressey (Rotary Club of Wells, Maine, USA) serving as secretary, alongside 15 additional committee members representing Rotary districts across India, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Ghana, Taiwan, France, Brazil, and South Korea.